Lake County Gazette

State Sen. Craig Wilcox (R- Woodstock) issued a statement saying he supports the state's Blue Collar Jobs Act.

"After being negotiated as part of the 2019 budget package and then frozen by Governor Pritzker prior to its implementation in 2021, Illinois’ Blue Collar Jobs Act (BCJA) has been reinstated and is now accepting applications," Wilcox's statement said. 

“The reinstatement of this Act is a definite step in the right direction for a state that has developed a reputation over time as being extremely business unfriendly,” said Wilcox. “Rather than placing additional burdens on our job creators, we are finally putting businesses first, and providing them with incentives to build, stay, grow, and thrive in Illinois.”

The Blue Collar Jobs Act program supports large-scale economic development activities by providing income tax credits to companies that make substantial capital investments in Illinois. The tax credits are based on the wages paid to construction workers employed on eligible projects.

“I would encourage all entrepreneurs to look at Illinois when choosing where to take their capital investment,” Wilcox's statement said. “Helping middle-class families by providing good jobs with decent wages is incredibly important, and the Blue Collar Jobs Act will go far in accomplishing that goal.” 

To be eligible, a company must be located in an Enterprise Zone or a River Edge Redevelopment Zone, designated as a High Impact Business, or have an agreement under the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Program. Each pre-requisite program has differing job creation and capital investment minimums/requirements.

The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will host a technical assistance webinar to share details regarding the BCJA program application and processes on Monday, June 26 from 1 to 2 p.m. Click here to sign up and RSVP.